IN BRIEF - How NOAA Satellites Monitor Ocean Health: Tracking Changes from Space
UNITED STATES
Monday, January 20, 2025
Satellites provide scientists important data they use to manage and protect fisheries and marine mammals.
A view from a satellite over Earth’s ocean and an aerial view of a blue whale.
NOAA’s use of satellite data to predict the weather is well known. Now, we are using satellites to track how the ocean is changing over time, and how that will impact fisheries and marine life. We can monitor the ocean’s temperature, salinity, currents, and even microscopic organisms in the water.
Satellites can give us insights into these oceanographic drivers and processes much faster than traditional methods like ship surveys. They can help us develop models to predict where and when marine animals will be in the ocean. In fact, satellite images are so detailed, we can actually see and count individual whales from space! This information can help us better manage those species.
In this week’s podcast, we hear from Ryan Vandermeulen, NOAA Fisheries satellite remote sensing coordinator. He’s passionate about satellites and making satellite data more accessible to the average citizen. Listen to him talk about what’s in store for the next generation of satellite technology, and hear the music he created based on satellite images of phytoplankton blooms.
Land-based salmon-farming company Laxey has signed an agreement with Marel for processing equipment and software at its planned salmon slaughterhouse – the third agreement the company has made in as many months.
Earlier in January, Laxey selected the AKVA Group to provide equipment for its planned land-based salmon farm in Iceland. Laxey – originally called Icelandic Land Farmed Salmon – was initially planning a 10,000-metric-ton (MT) salmon farm but has since upgraded those plans to a 32,000-MT facility.
The AKVA Group contract was itself just two months after it announced an agreement with BAADER for processing equipment.
Author: Chris Chase / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
Norwegian salmon producers Bue Salmon and Bolaks Group have announced a new strategic partnership to optimise the efficiency of operations for both companies.
The three-year agreement entails Bue Salmon receiving smolt from Sævareid Fiskeanlegg, where Bolaks is the majority shareholder. The smolt will be reared to post-smolt at Bue Salmon’s land-based facility in Bulandet before being delivered to Bolaks’ sea sites for grow-out.
Through the agreement, Bue and Bolak hope to establish a predictable and efficient value chain with short production cycles, strengthening the operations of both companies.
Source: The Fish Site l Read the full article here
Drop in air freight market pushes salmon prices further down.
The Chinese New Year celebration is reducing demand for large salmon.
“It has dropped significantly in recent weeks. The biggest fall has been for 5+ kg salmon, as the market for air-shipped fish has shrunk. Next week, Monday packing is the key—if you miss that, you’re too late for Chinese New Year. You need delivery to Oslo no later than Wednesday to make it''
Author: Aslak Berge / SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here
With a surface area of ??90,000 m2, when it is completed in 2028, it will have a capacity of more than 100,000 tons of products
The biotechnology company for the production and transformation of the insect Tenebrio molitor, celebrated this Wednesday, January 15, in Salamanca, the symbolic act of laying the first stone of what will be the largest insect farm in the world. In it, the company's managers, its founders Adriana Casillas (CEO) and Sabas de Diego (CTO) were supported by institutional representatives and leaders of the sector in what is considered "a decisive step towards the future of the biotechnology industry."
Source: iPac.acuicultura l Read the full article here
The red tuna campaign in the Canary Islands will begin this year nine days earlier than in 2024. The General Secretariat of Fisheries has confirmed that the island fleet will be able to start catches on January 20, in response to the demands of the fishing sector and with the aim of taking advantage of the passage of this species through the waters of the Canary fishing ground. According to the resolution published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), a total census of 250 vessels will be authorized to fish a quota of 537.69 tons of red tuna from Monday.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here
Committee says regulators should have option to halt production at sites with persistant problems
The Scottish Government should provide powers to regulators to limit or halt production at fish farms which record persistent high mortality rates, a committee of MSPs has said.
The suggestion is the stand-out recommendation in a newly published report by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) that results from an inquiry into Scotland’s salmon farming sector last year.
Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
Indonesia has taken a ground-breaking step by upgrading its national seafood traceability system, Stelina, to be compatible with the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) Standard. This makes Indonesia, one of the largest global seafood exporters, the first country to align a government-led system with international standards that ensure its seafood products meet the highest global traceability and sustainability requirements.
Waitrose, the upmarket supermarket chain, is promoting a traditional French cooking method for fish, with Scottish salmon leading the drive.
Called En Papillote, the technique is known for producing a rich, aromatic flavour. Waitrose.com says it has seen a surge in searches for “ready to cook fish” and “fresh fish” up 100% and 59% respectively over the last seven days.
The marketing campaign also designed to help people overcome their fear of cooking fish.
The new products include Wild Garlic Scottish Salmon; Thai Green Inspired cod fillets; and Provençal Inspired Haddock Fillets.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
Iceland increased its aquaculture exports by 16% in 2024 compared to the previous year. The local industry portal notes that commercial fish farming has become an important part of the republic's economy.
In monetary terms, the volume of aquaculture exports over the past year amounted to 54 billion Icelandic crowns (384 million dollars), a Fishnews correspondent reports, citing foreign industry media. At the same time, the share of farmed products in the total export of aquatic bioresources increased to 15%, and in all foreign sales of Iceland - to 6%.
Click on the image to enlarge it
The largest revenue source is aquaculture cod, followed by salmon and haddock in third place.
Fish farming has already become an important part of the republic's economy, and its importance will only increase in the coming years, notes the Icelandic industry portal. The author emphasizes that such developments increase export diversification and increase foreign currency inflows into the country's economy.
As of early 2025, Russian fishermen have harvested approximately 158,000 tons of aquatic bioresources, reflecting a 3% increase compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Federal Agency for Fisheries' monitoring system.
Regional Catch Overview:
Far Eastern Basin:
Total: 143.3 thousand tons (+4% compared to 2024)
Pollock: 86.2 thousand tons
Pacific herring: 47.7 thousand tons
Cod: 4.9 thousand tons
Northern Basin:
Total: 7.4 thousand tons
Cod: 4.9 thousand tons
Haddock: 1.3 thousand tons
Western Basin:
Total: 1.3 thousand tons (+55% compared to 2024)
Baltic herring: 0.7 thousand tons
Sprat: 0.6 thousand tons
Azov-Black Sea Basin:
Total: 1.1 thousand tons
Anchovy: 1.1 thousand tons
Volga-Caspian Basin:
Total: 2.1 thousand tons (3.5 times the 2024 level)
Sprat: 2.1 thousand tons
Beyond Domestic Waters:
In exclusive economic zones of foreign states, conventional areas, and the open ocean, Russian fleets harvested an additional 2.5 thousand tons, marking an 18.6% increase from the same period in 2024.
Southeast Pacific Squid Index: Giant squid (dosidicus gigas) China
In order to continuously enhance the ability to control squid resources and price influence, and conduct more accurate resource assessment and forecasting, the China Ocean Fisheries Association to...
UNITED STATES
ICELAND
Land-based salmon-farming company 
NORWAY.jpeg)
The three-year agreement entails Bue Salmon receiving smolt from Sævareid Fiskeanlegg, where Bolaks is the majority shareholder. The smolt will be reared to post-smolt at Bue Salmon’s land-based facility in Bulandet before being delivered to Bolaks’ sea sites for grow-out.
CHINA
Drop in air freight market pushes salmon prices further down.
SPAIN
With a surface area of ??90,000 m2, when it is completed in 2028, it will have a capacity of more than 100,000 tons of products
The red tuna campaign in the Canary Islands will begin this year nine days earlier than in 2024. The General Secretariat of Fisheries has confirmed that the island fleet will be able to start catches on January 20, in response to the demands of the fishing sector and with the aim of taking advantage of the passage of this species through the waters of the Canary fishing ground. According to the resolution published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), a total census of 250 vessels will be authorized to fish a quota of 537.69 tons of red tuna from Monday.
UNITED KINGDOM
Committee says regulators should have option to halt production at sites with persistant problems
INDONESIA
Indonesia has taken a ground-breaking step by upgrading its national seafood traceability system, Stelina, to be compatible with the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) Standard. This makes Indonesia, one of the largest global seafood exporters, the first country to align a government-led system with international standards that ensure its seafood products meet the highest global traceability and sustainability requirements.
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